Cheryl Mitchell, after having the mesh fitted, which should protect her hair and help it grow back

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

A woman who battled with doctors for 13 years to get treatment for a condition which results in her pulling her own hair out has finally received help.

Cheryl Mitchell has lost almost all of her hair through trichotillomania, but because part of the treatment, which involves stitching hair extensions into a mesh barrier on the scalp, is thought of as “cosmetic”, Cheryl who comes from Rhyl has had to find the money to pay for it herself.

“I’ve walked past loads of people already, said hello and they haven’t recognised me, I look so different.

“My head’s a bit sore, but it’s alright”

“My hair was maybe half an inch long all over with patches. They’ve put a very thin mesh on my head, and pulled the thin bits of my own hair through. Then they sewed human hair through, so everything is kept in place by my own hair.”

The mesh barrier should protect her own hair over the next six months, and allow it to grow back.

Cheryl has been pulling out her own hair since she was five, but the new treatment, coupled with therapy, could help her stop.

Trichotillomania is recognised by the NHS and documented as far back as 1889, but isn’t widely known by GPs.

Cheryl says getting treatment or even a formal diagnosis for it has been an uphill struggle.

Cheryl was able to diagnose the condition when she read about someone else suffering with it in a magazine 13 years ago.

She then went to a clinic in Manchester to find out about the treatment, but at that time was told it would cost £9,000.

“I went to the doctor on and off for 13 years trying to get this treatment on the NHS, but they wouldn’t give me the time of day.

“They just offered me wigs. I got one, but that doesn’t really help”

Cheryl, 33, said: “I’ve seen loads of doctors, I’ve been asking them about my hair loss since I was five, and not once has any doctor known of it and offered me counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), I’m doing CBT now after I told them I was getting my hair done,

“I didn’t know about all of the treatments I could try until last year. They’d only offered me wigs.

“I don’t know if it’ll work or not, but it’s worth a go.”

The new hair system takes Cheryl up to two hours each day to look after, and while costs have come down since she first found a treatment, it still cost her £800, but should last up to two years.

According to the NHS website, trichotillomania is more common in girls than boys, and may affect up to four in 100 people.